What might this be

This is why I signed up from this forum, hoping that somebody might know what I have stumbled upon.

I was turning over one of the squares in my Square Foot Garden this morning, and I noticed a fuchsia-colored goo on my spade.

At first, I thought it might be rotted purple sweet potato that was missed last year, but then my wife reminded me that they were planted in other squares.  This square had cucumbers, banana peppers, and cherry tomatoes in its previous use.

This goo looked like a pinkish-red porridge with something that resembled fabric fibers.  It had an odor similar to rotting fruit with a hint of patchouli thrown in to make it even more offensive.  
It was about 4 or 5 inches deep in the bed and about 2 feet across by 1 foot in depth.  It stuck to the spade, and I accidentally got some of it on my right hand, and it felt something like runny pudding.

Any thoughts as to what this might be, and if it is dangerous?  I sterilized myself within 3 minutes of getting it on me, and I stopped using the spade as soon as I dug this stuff up.

If I can figure out how to take a picture from my phone and uploading it here, I will do so.

Maybe a type of slime mold?

Here is the picture I just took of a slice that I removed from the garden.  On second thought, it smells more soured fruit.

My first GUESS was a fungus of some sort - like a truffle.  BUT-- truffles don't get that big nor are they purple/pink inside.

So sorry that I can't come up with an educated guess.

I never heard of such a thing, as the only pink slime I knew about was the junk that is put into meat.

After looking up slime mold, I do not believe this is what I have, and maybe I am glad about that, because I would probably lose my lunch to think I had it.

I guess I will see if our county extension agent can id it if I put some of it in a baggie and take it in.  I'd hate to think it is toxic or something that prevents the garden from being used for food stuffs.

I've never seen anything like that. Can't wait for the results! Can you send your extension office the photos? That's what I do when I need help. Maybe they'll know and then you won't have to send in a sample.
CC

A previously overlooked or wandering purple sweet potato would be my guess. It is finally breaking down. It will be interesting to see what the Extension says.

It must be what lawn flamingos feed on to maintain their pink coloration....
I've seen stink horn mushrooms that are an unnatural pink, but the dimensions you describe don't match up.
It reminds me of the pink alginate goop (yuk!) that used to make dental impressions for braces/retainers in my youth.

I sent an email with the pictures to our County Extension Agent.  I am supposed to receive a reply within 48 hours. 

I hope this guy isn't our agent.

Keep us posted.

I guess we really do have a Hank Kimball for our agent.

Here's the reply I received,

"Please contact the agent for Williamson County, as she is an expert in botanical diseases."

Williamson County is the county just south of Nashville.  So, I have to start anew and send the email to her.

Meanwhile, I have stopped working in the garden until I hear whether I have a toxic pathogen or rotted purple sweet potatoes.  I went ahead and disinfected the spade by coating it with alcohol and then holding it over a fire for a few minutes.

With those dimensions it sounds like a rotting thing....leftover .

Sanderson hit the nail on the head--she was correct.

It has been confirmed this morning by our local park horticulturist. I took her a sampling in a baggie, and she said it is most definitely a rotting purple sweet potato that was overlooked last year.  I guess I overlooked it, because I do not recall planting any sweet potatoes in that section.  

She told me to leave all the rest of it in the ground, because worms will think it is a delicacy.

Thanks for the update! I must have misunderstood - I thought you said the purple mass was 2 feet across and went 1 foot down (... or do sweet potatoes get that big where you are? )

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:Thanks for the update! I must have misunderstood - I thought you said the purple mass was 2 feet across and went 1 foot down (... or do sweet potatoes get that big where you are? )

That would be funny if the sweet potato were that big, or maybe it wouldn't be so funny, because it might mean some form of mutant from uranium in the ground--yikes.

My prose sometimes misses in the translation as I try to type as fast as an auctioneer speaks.

What I meant to say was that the decayed goo spread out in an area of dirt that was 2 feet across and 1 foot in horizontal depth, not vertical depth.  I should have said 1 foot wide or 1 foot back.

BTW, after seeing your forum name, I came close to going with grubs per sq ft as my moniker.

TNGeezer wrote:

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:Thanks for the update! I must have misunderstood - I thought you said the purple mass was 2 feet across and went 1 foot down (... or do sweet potatoes get that big where you are? )

That would be funny if the sweet potato were that big, or maybe it wouldn't be so funny, because it might mean some form of mutant from uranium in the ground--yikes.

My prose sometimes misses in the translation as I try to type as fast as an auctioneer speaks.

What I meant to say was that the decayed goo spread out in an area of dirt that was 2 feet across and 1 foot in horizontal depth, not vertical depth.  I should have said 1 foot wide or 1 foot back.

BTW, after seeing your forum name, I came close to going with grubs per sq ft as my moniker.

Aah. Those dimensions are more natural sounding. I'm glad it wasn't an alien and that you can proceed with your planting.

You might have gotten the nickname Grubby
I chose my forum name partly because I like bugs, and like to think that I am growing them in my garden. Last year I 'grew' fireflies - the larvae were in one of my garden beds. I like most beetles ... but there are a few that meet their doom (flea beetles, Japanese beetles, and cucumber beetles) when I find them in my garden.

Glad it was just a sweet potato.

The fantastic worms will turn it into worm castings that are worth much more.  Maybe we should all leave a potato here and there throughout our gardens !